Ruud van Nistelrooy was appointed temporary head coach after Manchester United fired Erik ten Hag on Monday, but he had considered a managerial comeback before accepting the position at Old Trafford.
Before his unexpected return to Old Trafford, Ruud van Nistelrooy, the interim manager of Manchester United, had his coaching staff ready for his next move.
After United’s 2-1 loss to West Ham over the weekend, Erik ten Hag was fired by the team on Monday. With only one victory in their last eight games across all competitions, the outcome places United in 14th place in the Premier League. Until a permanent replacement is found, Van Nistelrooy has been put in charge temporarily.
After returning to Old Trafford as a coach in June, 48-year-old Van Nistelrooy is already a United hero, having scored 150 goals for the team during his playing career. The Premier League champion was a member of a reorganized coaching staff, when Benni McCarthy and Mitchell van der Gaag left Ten Hag’s backroom staff to be replaced by Van Nistelrooy and his countryman Rene Hake.
Van Nistelrooy, who won the 2023 KNVB Cup while managing PSV Eindhoven before leaving, made the unexpected move. The Dutchman acknowledged last month in an interview with his old teammate Rio Ferdinand that he was about to return to management before Ten Hag unexpectedly called him to rejoin United.
“It’s 100% the right decision,” Van Nistelrooy said while discussing his choice to return to United in the summer with TNT Sports. “I had a deep sense that I wanted to contribute to United’s gradual return to where we believe the team should be.
“I was headed into management. In addition to being in talks with clubs to manage, I had the incredible opportunity of managing PSV, which I adore. After getting my workers ready, I received a call. “Jeez,” I thought. It never occurred to me that it may happen.
“I got a call from Erik. I said I needed to give it some thought, but I was like, “Wow,” right away. I grew to adore the concept. particularly the overall picture, where the new ownership and leadership represent a fresh start. a stage in which you begin to rebuild and participate in it.
Alongside Hake and former colleague Darren Fletcher, Van Nistelrooy oversaw training sessions and was in charge of opposing and post-match briefings as part of Ten Hag’s squad. Van Nistelooy’s entrance suggested to many that he was a ready-made Ten Hag replacement, especially considering United’s dismal league performance the previous season.
